Public service union Impact has threatened Minister of State for Finance Tom Parlon with industrial action if civil servants are denied promotion or moved to "inappropriate jobs" as a result of decentralisation.
Speaking on radio this morning, Impact national secretary Peter Nolan warned: "We have a motion that is calling on the union to take industrial action in circumstances where any of its members are forced to give up their jobs, in terms of their own skills and qualifications."
Mr Nolan said: "The nonsense is where the Department of Foreign Affairs community development specialists in the Third World are being moved to Limerick away from their base with the foreign embassies and non-governmental agencies," he said.
Mr Nolan added that he had not been given answers by the Government to allay the union's concerns.
"What are the jobs that the professional grades in the civil service are going to be given. Every time I've asked this question I've been given no answers and I'm not so sure they [the Government] have answers in relation to this question."
However, the Minster accused the union of a lack of engagement with the Department of Finance.
"The Government have said all along this is a voluntary scheme," Mr Parlon said, adding that decentralisation was going to go ahead.
Mr Parlon also admitted: "Some of the very technical people will have a difficulty in relocating" but the Government he said would make "every effort to facilitate them".
